Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra
CD 1
1 Sinfonia 5.30
Atto primo: L’amore · Act One: Love
Acte un: L’Amour · Erster Akt: Liebe
Scena I · Scene 1 · Premier Tableau · 1. Bild
2 Preludio orchestrale 1.17
3 Ti desta, Luisa, regina de’ cori Laura, contadine, contadini 2.28
4 Ecco mia figlia Miller, Luisa, Laura, contadine, contadini 1.56
5 Lo vidi, e ’l primo palpito … Ah!… — Mia diletta!… — Desso! 3.31
Luisa, Laura, Rodolfo, Miller, contadine, contadini
6 T’amo d’amor ch’esprimere mal tenterebbe il detto! 3.47
Luisa, Rodolfo, Miller, Laura, contadine, contadini
7 Ferma, ed ascolta Wurm, Miller 1.17
8 Sacra la scelta è d’un consorte Miller 2.53
9 Costarti, o vecchio debole, caro il tuo cieco affetto dovrà Wurm, Miller 1.01
10 Ah! fu giusto il mio sospetto! Miller 3.01
Scena II · Scene 2 · Deuxième Tableau · 2. Bild
11 Che mai narrasti! Walter, Wurm 1.30
12 Il mio sangue, la vita darei Walter 3.41
13 Padre… — M’abbraccia Rodolfo, Walter 2.02
14 Quale un sorriso d’amica sorte 2.38
Damigelle, paggi, familiari, arcieri, Federica, Walter, Rodolfo
15 Duchessa … Dall’aule raggianti di vano splendor Rodolfo, Federica 6.37
Scena III · Scene 3 · Troisième Tableau · 3. Bild
16 Sciogliete i levrieri … O padre mio! Cacciatori, Luisa, Miller 1.32
17 Del Conte di Walter figlio, qual comanda il padre Miller, Luisa, Rodolfo 3.25
18 Tu, signor, fra queste soglie! 2.14
Rodolfo, Walter, Miller, Luisa, Laura, arcieri, contadine, contadini
19 Fra’ mortali ancora oppressa non è tanto l’innocenza 4.39
Miller, Rodolfo, Walter, Luisa, Laura, contadine, contadini, arcieri
20 I cenni miei si compiano 2.29
Rodolfo, Walter, Luisa, Laura, Miller, contadine, contadini, arcieri
Atto secondo: L’intrigo · Act Two: Intrigue
Acte deux: L’Intrigue · Zweiter Akt: Kabale
Scena I · Scene 1 · Premier Tableau · 1. Bild
21 Ah! Luisa, Luisa, ove sei? … Al villaggio dai campi tornando 2.27
Contadine, contadini, Laura, Luisa
22 Il padre tuo… — Finisci — Langue in dura prigion Wurm, Luisa 3.25
23 Tu, puniscimi, o Signore, se t’offesi Luisa 2.51
24 Qui nulla s’attenta imporre al tuo core Wurm, Luisa 1.54
25 A brani, a brani, o perfido Wurm, Luisa 3.45
CD 2
Scena II · Scene 2 · Deuxième Tableau · 2. Bild
1 Egli delira: sul mattin degli anni vinta da cieco affetto Walter, Wurm 2.49
2 L’alto retaggio non ho bramato Walter, Wurm 4.11
3 Vien la Duchessa Wurm, Federica, Walter 0.58
4 Presentarti alla Duchessa puoi, Luisa Walter, Federica, Wurm, Luisa 5.52
Scena III · Scene 3 · Troisième Tableau · 3. Bild
5 Il foglio dunque? … Oh! fede negar potessi agli occhi miei! 2.32
Rodolfo, un contadino
6 Quando le sere al placido chiaror d’un ciel stellato Rodolfo 3.52
7 Di me chiedeste? — Appressati. Leggi Wurm, Rodolfo, armigeri, familiari 2.36
8 L’ara, o l’avello apprestami Wurm, Rodolfo, Walter, armigeri, familiari 2.01
Atto terzo: Il veleno · Act Three: Poison
Acte trois: Le Poison · Dritter Akt: Gift
9 Come in un giorno solo Laura, contadine 1.59
10 O dolce amica, e ristorar non vuoi di qualche cibo le affralite membra? …
Luisa!… figlia mia! Laura, Luisa, Miller, contadine 2.59
11 Pallida… mesta sei! Miller, Luisa 3.00
12 La tomba è un letto sparso di fiori Luisa, Miller 6.02
13 Andrem, raminghi e poveri, ove il destin ci porta Miller, Luisa 3.56
14 Ah! l’ultima preghiera in questo caro suolo Luisa, Rodolfo 7.24
15 Piangi, piangi… il tuo dolore più dell’ira è giusto, ahi quanto! 3.57
Luisa, Rodolfo
16 Donna, per noi terribile ora squillò!… suprema! … Quai grida intesi? 5.34
Rodolfo, Luisa, Miller
17 Padre… ricevi l’estremo… addio 5.14
Luisa, Miller, Rodolfo, Walter, contadini, contadine
SYNOPSIS
CD 1 1 Sinfonia
Act One: Love
Scene 1
2–3 On a bright spring morning, villagers have gathered outside the cottage of the old soldier Miller to serenade his daughter Luisa on her birthday. 4 Luisa and her father greet them, Luisa looking anxiously for her lover Carlo. Miller is uneasy because Carlo is a stranger to the village, 5 but Luisa assures him that Carlo’s love is genuine, 6 and as the young man appears, he and Luisa express their devotion to one another.
7 All leave for church except Miller, who is accosted by Wurm, the steward from the castle. Since the old man appears to sanction Luisa’s love for Carlo, Wurm renews his own previous claims for Luisa’s hand. 8 But Miller is not prepared to abuse his paternal authority by forcing Luisa to marry against her inclination. 9 Furious, Wurm reveals “Carlo” ’s true identity: he is Rodolfo, son of the new Count Walter. 10 Grief-stricken and angry, Miller feels that all his fears are confirmed.
Scene 2
11 Wurm has told Walter of Rodolfo’s love for a village girl. 12 Walter reflects bitterly on how his ambitions for his son are thwarted by Rodolfo himself. 13 He summons Rodolfo to tell him that he has arranged for him to marry the Duchess Federica, his cousin and childhood friend, now widowed, whose position would gain him access to Court.
14 Rodolfo’s protestations are silenced by Federica’s arrival, 15 but once alone with her he trusts to their old friendship to confess that he cannot marry her as he loves someone else. Federica is furious at being rejected.
Scene 3
16-17 Miller tells Luisa that she has been duped and explains Rodolfo’s identity. Rodolfo, arriving at the cottage and overhearing the latter part of their conversation, swears that his only wish is to make Luisa his wife.18 Walter enters the cottage and accuses Luisa of seducing his son, and as Miller, outraged, springs boldly to her defence, Walter orders the arrest of both father and daughter. 19-20 Rodolfo begs him to relent and, all else failing, threatens to reveal the means by which Walter gained his title. Miller and Luisa are immediately released.
Act Two: Intrigue
Scene 1
21 The villagers bring Luisa the news that her father has been taken prisoner by Walter’s men. Wurm enters the cottage and dismisses Luisa’s friends. 22-25 He then tells her that her father is under sentence of death for defying Walter; however, Luisa can save him if she agrees to confess in a letter to Rodolfo that she never loved him. Luisa has no alternative but to write, at Wurm’s dictation, that she only encouraged Rodolfo because of his rank, and that her real love is for Wurm. She promises not to reveal that the letter was written under duress.
Scene 2
CD 2 1 Wurm reports his success to Walter. 2 The two recall their part in the murder of the old Count, whose planned new marriage had threatened Rodolfo’s succession to the title. Walter tells the terrified Wurm that Rodolfo knows their secret, but assures him that they will rise or fall together.
3–4 Federica arrives and Luisa is produced to repeat in person to the Duchess what she has written to Rodolfo. Knowing that her father’s life depends upon it, she tells Federica that Rodolfo is free to marry her.
Scene 3
5–6 Rodolfo has received Luisa’s letter and, in the castle gardens, bitterly recalls her former protestations of love and fidelity and condemns her treachery. 7–8 He summons Wurm and, showing him the letter, challenges him to a duel. Wurm panics, fires his pistol into the air and, as servants rush in, makes his escape. Walter enters and encourages Rodolfo to revenge himself on Luisa by marrying Federica immediately, but Rodolfo is too desperate to think clearly of life without Luisa.
Act Three: Poison
9–10 Luisa is writing another letter while her friends attempt to rouse her from her grief. They keep her unaware of the preparations going ahead for Rodolfo’s marriage to Federica.
Miller returns and is left alone with his daughter.11-12 He tells her that he knows of the sacrifice she has made to effect his release, and she tentatively shows him the letter she has been writing: it is to Rodolfo, suggesting a suicide pact. Miller is appalled and reminds Luisa that she is all he has in the world. He begs her to live, if only for his sake. Relenting, she tears up the letter, 13 and father and daughter plan a new life together, away from the village.
14 Miller leaves Luisa to pray for the last time in her old home, and as she prays, Rodolfo appears at the door. He pours poison into a cup then, coming forward, he challenges Luisa to own up to her treachery. Still bound by her promise to Wurm, she admits to writing the letter. Rodolfo complains of thirst and drinks from the cup, making Luisa drink as well. 15 He reproaches her for her faithlessness and becomes more and more distraught, 16 finally revealing that they have both taken poison. Released by impending death from her vow, Luisa reveals the truth and Rodolfo realises that he has killed the woman who loved him. 17 Miller returns in time to receive Luisa’s last farewell; as Walter enters with Wurm, she dies. Summoning his last ounce of strength, Rodolfo runs Wurm through with his sword before falling dead beside Luisa.